Case studies

A new SPD and new tracing software for Jessa Hospital.

In 2012, Jessa Hospital (1.000 beds, 2 campuses, Virga Jesse and Salvator, 45,000 surgical interventions, 190.000 sets and 4.900.000 instruments a year) decided to build a new SPD at an external location. Management of the SPD project was in the hands of Dr Frank Weekers, Medical Director, and Mr Jaak Damiaans, Head Pharmacist. Our main concern was the quality and control of the follow-up throughout the process.
For the fitting out of the SPD and the technical facilities, Jessa Hospital opted for the highest possible quality standards.
But even more important is complete Track & Tracing “from patient to patient” with tracing down to instrument level.
A number of priorities were set as criteria for selecting the software for the SPD of Jessa Hospital:

• Tracing at instrument level and engraving the data matrix on the instruments by laser
• Checking the safety of the sets after use with the patient by weighing
• Linking with the Jessa OR software
• Integration and checking of all equipment parameters (washing machines, sterilisers) in the database of the SPD software
• Managing the SPD as a production unit, taking into account the future use of the sets
• Managing the entire logistical process
• Guarantee of availability of the instrument sets for all planned interventions

The choice of SteMaTo® was based on completeness, experience in an industrial setting, the flexibility to adapt to organisational developments. The open way of cooperating with external partners (OR software, laser and scales supplier, etc.) was undeniably a very important added value. In addition, Besco guaranteed that all data from the SPD software used by the 2 campuses (T-Doc, Getinge and Steriline, Aexis Medical) would be fully recovered in the SteMaTo® database. Finally, permanent support and follow-up for several years offered the best guarantee for a successful implementation.

Despite the stringent demands we made, SteMaTo® lived up to expectations. Linking up with the various OR planning systems (each campus works with its own OR software) resulted in 1 SteMaTo® plan. Registration used during the intervention, and therefore a link to the right patient, needs assessment by user profile per intervention per surgeon (BOM) not only means prior and continuous monitoring by the OR managers of the availability of sets and instruments, but forms the basis for a production-driven SPD. Multiple telephone calls with demand for the urgent treatment of sets were replaced by priorities that no longer disrupted the normal sterilisation process. The result is a more structured SPD process, leading to a significant increase in efficiency (+20%).

The engraving of the data matrix on the instruments was an entirely new practice for Jessa Hospital. By integrating all necessary instrument parameters in SteMaTo® (type of material, size of the data matrix, unique code), it was possible to apply the data matrix to 60,000 instruments without the need for extra staff. The time taken to apply the data matrix is offset by the time saved when scanning the data matrix when compiling the set. The combination of data matrix and weighing the sets after use in the transfer point proved to be the best guarantee of good tracing. The safety of the patient combined with less loss (or temporary loss) of instruments represent a significant added value. Finally, the organisation of the SPD and related processes (OR, logistics) are always subject to change and improvement. A SPD software that aims to provides effective organisational support can therefore not be static and must provide the necessary adaptations at regular intervals to follow these developments. SteMaTo® endorses this philosophy in full, and grows with the challenging targets of the SPD of Jessa Hospital.

Frank Weekers  Medical Director
Jaak Damiaans Head Pharmacist

A new SPD and new tracing software for the GZA hospitals.

In 2011, the GZA hospitals in Antwerp (850 beds, 3 campuses at Sint Augustinus, St. Vincentius and St. Jozef, 45.000 surgical interventions, 180.000 sets and 4.500.000 instruments a year) decided to build a new SPD at St. Augustinus Hospital with the aim of centralising all the sterilisation activities of the 3 hospitals here at a later date.
As head of the SPD, I am mainly concerned about quality, taking responsibility and tracing up to instrument level.
Until 2011, GZA used a self-developed software. Although we already had an efficient system with a form of tracing down to instrument level, we wanted a software that provided an even better guarantee of complete tracing, linked to the changes in the operation of the SPD and which could fully support the centralisation of the 3 hospitals.
A number of priorities were set as criteria for selecting SteMaTo® for the SPD of the GZA hospitals:

• Tracing at instrument level and engraving the data matrix on the instruments by laser
• Checking the safety of the sets after use with the patient by weighing
• Linking with the GZA OR software
• Guarantee of availability of the instrument sets for all planned interventions

The choice of SteMaTo® was based on completeness with the flexibility to adapt to organisational developments.
In addition, permanent support and follow-up for several years offered the best guarantee for a successful implementation.

Engraving the data matrix on the instruments was a completely new practice for the GZA hospitals, we even became a pioneer in Belgium. By integrating all necessary instrument parameters in SteMaTo® (type of material, size of the data matrix, unique code), it was possible to apply the data matrix to 50,000 instruments without the need for extra staff. The time taken to apply the data matrix is offset by the time saved when scanning the data matrix when compiling the set.
The combination of data matrix and weighing the sets after use in the transfer point proved to be the best guarantee of good tracing. The safety of the patient combined with less loss (or temporary loss) of instruments represent a significant added value.
By linking with the OR Software and reserving sets for each intervention, SteMaTo® supported us in managing the production process. This significantly improved the availability when needed of the sterile sets, making the production process in the department more efficient.

Cis Theeuwes
Head of SPD

A new SPD and new tracing software for the GZA hospitals.

In 2010 I became project manager for the GZA SPD-OR working group, which was responsible for building a new SPD and centralisation. To accomplish this, it was decided to replace the existing SPD software with an efficient system that besides good tracing could also provide all the organisational support to successfully see this project through.
The criteria I mainly focused on as project manager:

• Tracing at instrument level and engraving the data matrix on the instruments by laser
• Checking the safety of the sets after use with the patient by weighing
• Linking with the GZA OR software
• Managing the SPD as a production unit, taking into account the future use of the sets
• Managing the entire logistical process
• Guarantee of availability of the instrument sets for all planned interventions

The choice of SteMaTo® was based on completeness, experience in an industrial setting, the will to adapt to organisational developments. The open way of cooperating with external partners (OR software, laser and scales supplier, etc.) was undeniably a very important added value.
In addition, Besco guaranteed that all data from the existing SPD software would be fully recovered in the SteMaTo® database.
In addition, permanent support and follow-up for several years offered the best guarantee for a successful implementation.

Despite the stringent demands we made, SteMaTo® lived up to expectations.
A link with the OR planning resulted in clear SteMaTo® planning in which the status and availability of sets can be permanently monitored. Registration used during the intervention, and therefore a link to the right patient, needs assessment by user profile per intervention per surgeon (BOM) not only means prior and continuous monitoring by the OR managers of the availability of sets and instruments, but forms the basis for a production-driven SPD.

Myriam Coel
project manager care GZA hospitals